COST Options Profit Calculator
Calculate profit, loss, breakeven, and max gain/loss for Costco Wholesale (COST) call and put options at expiration.
Costco options carry low IV reflecting consistent membership revenue and predictable same-store sales growth.
Premiums are cheap on this name, which lowers the cost basis for long options but compresses credit for sellers. Long calls or puts have a better risk/reward when you expect a directional move.
Quote refreshes every 6h. Use as context — not a real-time price.
IV typically expands into earnings and crushes on the report. Plan your position size and expiration accordingly.
Select option type and position, enter your trade details, then click Calculate P/L to see potential profit/loss at expiration.
For educational purposes only. Not financial advice. Read full disclaimer
Options P/L for Similar Tickers
Trading COST Options: Strategies & P/L Patterns
Costco's high share price and low IV combine to produce expensive long premium and modest short premium credits, which has pushed most retail activity into vertical spreads. Bull put spreads at psychological support fill cleanly. Covered call writers on existing stock collect meaningful absolute dollars even at low IV. The annual fee-hike announcement is a unique non-earnings catalyst worth marking in your calendar before selling premium across that window. Cash-secured puts require very substantial buying power per contract, making spreads the practical choice for most accounts. Liquidity in monthlies is solid but weeklies can be thinner than peer mega-caps. Earnings short condors print reliably given the historical pattern of realized moves landing inside the implied range, with monthly comps tempering the post-print reaction.
Recent COST Earnings History
Last 4 quarters of EPS estimate vs actual.
| Quarter | Estimate | Actual | Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | $4.65 | $4.58 | Miss -1.54% |
| Q1 2026 | $4.36 | $4.50 | Beat +3.28% |
| Q4 2025 | $5.92 | $5.87 | Miss -0.82% |
| Q3 2025 | $4.32 | $4.28 | Miss -0.98% |
EPS values from Finnhub. Refreshes daily.
Options P/L Formulas (at expiration)
Long Call: P/L = max(0, COST − Strike) − Premium
Long Put: P/L = max(0, Strike − COST) − Premium
Short Call/Put: P/L = Premium − Intrinsic Value
How to Use This Calculator for COST
- Select call or put — choose based on which COST contract you're analyzing.
- Choose buy or sell — buying COST options means you pay the premium; selling means you receive it as credit.
- Enter the strike price — pull this from COST's option chain on your broker.
- Enter the premium — the per-share cost. Multiply by 100 to get the total dollar cost or credit per contract.
- Enter the number of contracts — each COST options contract covers 100 shares.
- Click Calculate — see breakeven, max profit, max loss, and P/L at various COST expiration prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I calculate P/L on a COST call option?
- For a long COST call, P/L at expiration = max(0, COST price − strike) × 100 − total premium paid. Enter the strike, premium, and number of contracts above to compute it. For short calls, P/L = premium received − max(0, COST price − strike) × 100.
- What is the breakeven for a COST put?
- For a long COST put, breakeven = strike price − premium paid. The position becomes profitable when COST closes below this level at expiration. For a short put, the same level applies, but you profit when COST stays above it.
- What's the maximum loss when buying COST options?
- When you buy COST calls or puts, the maximum loss is the premium you paid (per contract × 100 shares). This is the most attractive feature of long options — your downside is capped regardless of how far COST moves against you.
- Why are COST option premiums so different across strikes?
- COST's premiums vary with strike based on implied volatility, time to expiration, and how far the strike is from the current price. At-the-money strikes carry the most time value; out-of-the-money strikes are cheaper but have lower probability of finishing in-the-money.
- Does this calculator show P/L before expiration?
- No — this calculator shows P/L at expiration only. Before expiration, Costco Wholesale option prices include time value (extrinsic premium) that depends on remaining DTE, implied volatility, and the Greeks. For pre-expiration analysis, use a Black-Scholes or Options Greeks calculator.